United Airlines Polaris business class new tiered fares

United Airlines is introducing a three-tier fare structure for its Polaris business class and Premium Plus cabins, adding a new “basic” option that costs less but removes several perks available to higher-paid passengers.

Travelers $TRVs who book the Polaris Base level get a lie-flat seat, one checked bag and entry to the United Club, but not to the premium Polaris Lounge. Upgrading to Standard or Flexible unlocks advance seat selection, a second checked bag, flight change privileges and Polaris Lounge access. Flexible tickets add a full refund option. Upgrade eligibility is also not an option for base fare buyers, Bloomberg reported.

A United spokeswoman told CNBC that Base level passengers will receive the same meals as others in Polaris, including ice cream. She did not say how much the base fare would cost, but said it was intended to make the premium cabin more accessible to more travelers.

The new fares will be offered on long-haul international flights, select domestic transcontinental routes and select flights to Hawaii. United has updated its website and app to support the change. The new tiers will launch in select markets this spring and expand to more routes by the end of the year.

United is also extending the Polaris brand to the front cabin of select transcontinental and Hawaiian flights. Previously, this label was only used for international service. On these flights, Standard and Flexible ticket holders will be able to use the Polaris lounge.

“These new tiered options give customers more choice and make it easier to find a rate that includes the benefits they want most, whether that’s great value, added perks or maximum flexibility,” Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said in a statement.

For years, airlines have divided motorcoaches into price brackets ranging from simplified basic economy to seats with more legroom; United now applies the same logic to the business cabin. Delta Air Lines previously signaled that it may also divide its premium cabin into fare tiers, CNBC reported.

For economy cabins and short-haul domestic routes, United said the existing basic, standard and flexible fare categories remain unchanged and will simply be displayed in a new format on its reservations pages.